Effects of nanosecond-scale prepulse on generation of high-energy protons in target normal sheath acceleration
- State Key Laboratory of High Field Laser Physics, Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (China)
- Department of Nuclear Technology Application, China Institute of Atom Energy, Beijing 102413 (China)
A pulse cleaner based on noncollinear optical-parametric amplification and second-harmonic generation processes is used to improve the contrast of a laser of peak intensity {approx}2 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 19} W/cm{sup 2} to {approx}10{sup 11} at 100 ps before the peak of the main pulse. A 7 MeV proton beam is observed when a 2.5 {mu}m-thick Al foil is irradiated by this high-contrast laser. The maximum proton energy decreases to 2.9 MeV when a low-contrast ({approx}10{sup 8}) laser is used. Two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations combined with MULTI simulations show that the maximum proton energy sensitively relies on the detecting direction. The ns-time-scale prepulse can bend a thin target before the main pulse arrives, which reduces maximum proton energy in the target normal sheath acceleration.
- OSTI ID:
- 22162972
- Journal Information:
- Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 102, Issue 22; Other Information: (c) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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